21 Jun 2019

Medic stuns courtroom saying he killed prisoner, not Navy SEAL on trial
A Navy SEAL medic testified on Thursday that he was responsible for the death of an Islamic State fighter – not the Navy SEAL defendant undergoing a court martial for war crimes – describing it as a mercy killing. Special Operator 1st Class Corey Scott, a SEAL team medic, said under cross-examination by the defense in a courtroom at the San Diego Naval Base that he killed the fighter by asphyxiation, after he saw Gallagher stab the victim with a knife. Scott’s testimony under immunity from prosecution appeared to take the prosecutors by surprise and stunned the courtroom, witnesses said.

Earthquake shakes much of western France, no damage reported
A moderate earthquake has hit western France, felt as far as Bordeaux in the south and Normandy in the north. No damage has been reported so far, according to Col. Michael Bernier, spokesman for the national civil security service. He said it prompted concern in several regions because “so many people felt it.” The national seismic service says the epicenter of the 5.1 magnitude quake Friday morning was near the town of Bressuire.ke shakes much of western France, no damage reported

Ebola’s spread shows how science needs societies to succeed
The persistence of Congo’s Ebola outbreak and its deadly spread to Uganda in recent days show how societal issues are as crucial as scientific advances in controlling disease outbreaks, specialists in global public health say….the current Ebola outbreak has continued to spread relentlessly since it began in August 2018 in Democratic Republic Congo’s North Kivu province. It has infected more than 2,000 people, killing at least 1,400 of them. And, in recent days, it reached Uganda,

FEC faces lawsuit seeking investigation of Hillary
“The original FEC complaint alleged that Hillary for America and the DNC breached campaign finance law by issuing a false report with the intention of misleading the American people. The complaint notes that campaign expenditure forms show that the DNC and Hillary for American paid their mutual legal advisers at Perkins Coie, LLP for ‘legal services,’ but the law firm turned around and paid Fusion GPS for the Steele dossier.”

NY clerk refusing to issue illegal aliens driver’s licenses after NY passes law saying he must
A New York clerk is refusing to abide by a newly signed law granting drivers licenses to illegal aliens, and vows to file legal action. On Tuesday, Erie County Clerk Michael Kearns submitted a letter to attorney Michael Siragusa, citing his refusal to abide by the law, and requesting representation for a lawsuit against the state in an effort to block the law before it takes effect in December 2019, WIVB News reported Wednesday. “After a review of the act, I am convinced that it is inconsistent with federal law.

Iranian commander says Iran ballistic missiles can strike US aircraft carriers
A top Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander said this week that Iran has powerful ballistic missiles that are capable of attacking U.S. aircraft carriers in the region, according to Iranian state TV. “These missiles can hit with great precision carriers in the sea … These missiles are domestically produced and are difficult to intercept and hit with other missiles,” he said,

‘Climate Emergency’: Ireland Set to Ban Private Cars While Planning Mass Third World Migration
Drivers will be forced off the roads in Ireland and the population packed into “higher density” cities under a long-awaited climate plan which will ‘revolutionise’ people’s lifestyle and behaviours, according to local media…huge tax hikes, as well as bans and red tape outlined in the plan, will pave the way to a “vibrant” Ireland of zero carbon emissions by 2050 according to the government, which last year committed to boost the country’s 4.7 million-strong population by a further million with mass migration.

EU leaders scramble for consensus on 2050 carbon neutral target
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the bloc to aim for a 55% cut. But doubts remains even among nations in favor of the 2050 goal over how to pay for the economic shift to low-carbon technology in big employment sectors such as transport, farming and building and remain competitive.

Trump approves military strikes against Iran, pulls out last-minute
US President Donald Trump approved military strikes against Iran on Friday in retaliation for the downing of a US surveillance drone, but called off the attacks at the last minute, the New York Times reported. After weeks of rising tension amid a spate of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf, Iran said on Thursday it had shot down an unmanned US military surveillance drone, fanning fears of an overt military confrontation between the longtime adversaries.

New Zealand immigration minister apologizes for official map excluding Israel
New Zealand’s Minister for Immigration has written to the Israeli ambassador in Wellington apologizing personally for a map on a government website that showed a “Palestine,” but not Israel. “I can assure you that the fact sheet did not reflect New Zealand Government policy,” Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said in the letter to Amb. Itzhak Gerberg. “The map was clearly inaccurate and did not label the State of Israel as it should.”

Hong Kong protests: Thousands surround police headquarters
Thousands of people in Hong Kong have surrounded police headquarters, calling for an extradition bill to be scrapped. Police have asked the protesters to withdraw peacefully, saying their presence would “seriously affect” emergency services. Millions of people have marched against the bill in recent weeks, with violent clashes breaking out with police.

Georgia protests: Thousands storm parliament over Russian MP’s speech
Some 240 people were hurt in clashes as protesters tried to storm Georgia’s parliament after a Russian MP took the speaker’s seat in parliament. Riot police stopped them from entering the building, reportedly using tear gas and rubber bullets. Anger erupted when Sergei Gavrilov addressed an assembly of MPs from Orthodox Christian countries.

Honduras protests: Military deployed after violence
Honduras has deployed the military across the country after violent anti-government protests left two dead. Shops were looted and government buildings attacked in the capital, Tegucigalpa. Some roads were blocked with barricades and burning tyres. Protests against President Juan Orlando Hernández have been building in recent weeks, sparked by proposed health and education reforms.

US Supreme Court rules WW1 cross can remain on state land
The US Supreme Court has ruled that a concrete cross honouring World War One soldiers can remain on state land, reversing a lower court decision. The American Humanist Association had sued to remove the Bladensburg, Maryland, monument, saying it was an unlawful endorsement of Christianity. But the top court said the 94-year-old cross was a “historical landmark” and destroying it would be disrespectful.

US Senate votes to block Trump’s $8bn Saudi arms sale
The US Senate has voted to block the sale of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, striking a blow to President Donald Trump. Mr Trump bypassed Congress last month in an attempt to push through the $8bn (£6bn) deal, citing threats to Saudi Arabia from its bitter rival Iran. But on Thursday – in a rare bipartisan act – the Republican-led Senate passed three resolutions to prevent the sale.

Government meeting opens with ‘Hail Satan’ prayer
A Satanic Temple member who won the right to open a regional Alaska government meeting declared “Hail Satan” during her first invocation, prompting about a dozen officials and attendees to walk out. Tuesday’s invocation that started the meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough also spurred a protest outside the southern Alaska borough’s administration building that drew 40 people, The Peninsula Clarion newspaper reported.

Israel says it thwarted Iran spying attempt in West Bank
The Shin Bet domestic security service said Thursday that it has arrested a Jordanian businessman who attempted to set up an intelligence-gathering operation in the West Bank on behalf of Iran. The businessman, who was named as 32-year-old Taer Shaafut, was arrested in April and was indicted 10 days ago by the military prosecutor for allegedly making contact with the enemy…

‘Massive’ fire burns out of control at Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery
A fire was burning out of control at an oil refinery in Pennsylvania on Friday morning, a Philadelphia fire department official said, as local media reported a series of explosions on site. NBC Philadelphia said the “massive” blaze at the 335,000 barrels per day Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery was visible from miles away and triggered explosions that were felt as far away as South Jersey.

Punishment sought for Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar….Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are being put in the bull’s-eye of a petition that already has collected more than 130,000 signatures asking for them to be removed of various congressional committees and censured.

Torrential Rain Of Biblical Proportions Is Causing Immense Devastation For Midwest Farmers
The wettest 12 months in all of U.S. history was followed by the second wettest May on record, and for some parts of the Midwest the month of June will be even worse. Some portions of Ohio and Indiana have gotten 10 more inches of rain since Friday, and more rain is literally falling on the Midwest as I write this article. When I describe what we have witnessed as “torrential rain of Biblical proportions”, I am not exaggerating even a little bit.